Cat has gone missing at new house..

We moved to a new house recently, and me and my cat Fluffy have been here for over 2 weeks now. Well, he was starting to go a bit loopy being kept in all the time so i thought i'd let him out to have a sniff around. He had jumped over the wall of our back yard and i couldn't see him, but i just hoped he would come back shortly. I had a quick trek around the house area calling him and such, but i couldn't see him anywhere.

It's only been a day now, but he is very much an indoor cat and never strayed far at the old house. And he does seem to worry at the smallest things. He is very much a 'scaredy cat' Because this house has a lot more people walking nearby it he would probably not dare run back to the house because of the people and the noises, and i imagine he's just sat down somewhere nearby hiding.

It's turning pretty dark now, and i'm hoping when theres no people about and the noises stop he might attempt to come back. Hopefully he just hasn't strayed too far and he doesn't know his way back because his collar still has the old house details on it.

Maybe i'm just worrying too much. But I just needed to vent anyway. Any advice or anything would be great.

Just keep popping out and calling him, leave his cat-lit tray out - if he comes nearer the house he may smell it and that will entice him can you leave the door ajar a bit, he may just wander in

This happened to me, back when I lived in the UK, my cat jumped out of the kitchen window and was gone for over 24hrs, then suddenly she walked up the path as bold as brass

Sending lots of positive come home ((((((( vibes )))))) for sweet Fluffy

Keep us posted !!

p.s oh and Welcome to TCS

Originally Posted by mooficat

Just keep popping out and calling him, leave his cat-lit tray out - if he comes nearer the house he may smell it and that will entice him

can you leave the door ajar a bit, he may just wander in

This happened to me, back when I lived in the UK, my cat jumped out of the kitchen window and was gone for over 24hrs, then suddenly she walked up the path as bold as brass

Sending lots of positive come home (((((((

vibes

)))))) for sweet Fluffy

Keep us posted !!

p.s oh and Welcome to TCS

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Thanks, i'll let you know how it goes. I'll try the litter trick. I'd keep the door open but my house is at the end of a block and the wall is quite low which means people will walk by quite frequently. I'd probably have to keep an eye on the back when the door is open.

oo just thought, but you are probably already doing this one, how about shaking the kitty biscuit box - the little boy is gonna be wanting his supper soon

Question - why didnt' you go looking for him when you discovered he was missing instead of thinking he will come back?

In a new place you should NOT let them out with no supervision. I would canvas the neighborhood, put the local kids on alert with pictures, etc. and put up flyers within a few miles of the house.

He COULD attempt to go back home - how far did you live from your new house?

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Question - why didnt' you go looking for him when you discovered he was missing instead of thinking he will come back?

In a new place you should NOT let them out with no supervision. I would canvas the neighborhood, put the local kids on alert with pictures, etc. and put up flyers within a few miles of the house.

He COULD attempt to go back home - how far did you live from your new house?

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He had been out a few times, but them times under my watch where he just sniffed around in the yard. Well this time he jumped over the wall and i think he went into somebody elses yard, i couldn't see him i checked the moment he went over.

We are about a 45 minute walk from my old house. I really hope he didn't try that, he wouldn't get there.

45 minutes is not a long time - why do you say he can't go back? You'd be surprised!

It's such a busy route back, and my cat gets nervous around most things. People, cars and any unusual noises. I just can't imagine him wondering that far back. I just keep hoping he's hiding somewhere nearby waiting for the moment to make a run back here.

I found some useful information that sounds exactly like my type of cat:

Most people don’t differentiate between searching for a dog and searching for a cat, which is a huge mistake, because they are like apples and oranges. Cats are territorial, so when an indoor cat escapes outside, they feel displaced into unfamiliar territory. A displaced cat (and also an injured or sick cat) will hide and they will be silent. So walking around and calling the cat’s name doesn’t work.

What that cat does is to look for the first place where she can hide, and she will stay there. We’ve had people who have recovered their cats six weeks later, and the cat was two houses down, living under the neighbor’s house or under their deck.

We’ve actually recovered lots of cats by treating them like ferals and setting a humane trap. These cats will sit there and watch and even listen to their person calling, but they will usually not respond.

Eventually, some of them will reach a threshold point between the seventh and tenth day where they finally do meow or they go into the humane trap, but many of them, especially the ones with skittish temperaments, just continue to hide.

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This backs up my idea that he is probably just hiding nearby and he won't respond to my calls or anything until it's the last resort. It is worrying, because this means he may not eventually make a move for home until he is literally starving.

A good example, is when my cat refused to run a few yards from under the shed to the house. (A house he had lived in his entire life) Just because there were builders in next doors yard it spooked him, and it took the entire day for him to finally make a dash to the house despite the builders being gone for a few hours. This is similar, but much more worrying..

Anyway, the neighbours must think i'm mad if they saw me. But i've been sprinkling my cats litter that he had used around the house and some cat biscuits and meat nearby. I'm trying everything at this point. So if he's nearby he should know which house to come to, it's just up to him now to make a move.

If you are at all friendly with previous neighbours, could you ask them to please keep an eye out for him - DON"T chase him at all (unless he's very likely to come to them) but to alert you if they see him and you can rush over and get him. Also alert the local SPCA people, etc.

I was going to suggest that Fluffy may have been on his way back to your old house. You would be suprised how clever they are at finding their way to where they think home is.
I would go and check there. Are there any neighbours there you could call to ask if they`ve seen him.
Also if someone has found him they will be trying to contact you there as he still has his old ID on.
I really hope you find him. Let us know how you get on

Originally Posted by Jaffacake

I was going to suggest that Fluffy may have been on his way back to your old house. You would be suprised how clever they are at finding their way to where they think home is.
I would go and check there. Are there any neighbours there you could call to ask if they`ve seen him.
Also if someone has found him they will be trying to contact you there as he still has his old ID on.
I really hope you find him. Let us know how you get on

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My mum was good friends with one of our neighbours. I'll get her to ring her tomorrow morning to look out for him.

I still can't imagine him going that far though. He's scared of everything, he would hide somewhere and not move at the smallest unfamiliar noise or person. If he went back to the old house though, he would be almost guaranteed hiding under our shed. Everytime he got scared he would go under there. If we don't find him tomorrow i might take a trip down there and take a look under the shed.

Can cats really navigate their way back home across vast unfamiliar terrain like that?

I am sending <<<<<vibes>>>>> that you find him safe and soon! Cats are weird creatures.. he will probably show back up when you least expect it If it was me I would keep my door cracked a little bit at all times, that way he sees a quick entrance as soon as he finds his way home Especially tonight when it's quiet out and he comes out of his hiding place.

Originally Posted by mybabyphx

I am sending <<<<<vibes>>>>> that you find him safe and soon! Cats are weird creatures.. he will probably show back up when you least expect it

If it was me I would keep my door cracked a little bit at all times, that way he sees a quick entrance as soon as he finds his way home

Especially tonight when it's quiet out and he comes out of his hiding place.

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I know i really want to do that. With living at the end of the block though with a small-ish wall, people will pass by and maybe see the door open. The chances are slim, and i'm very tempted to, to be honest.. I don't think i could sleep knowing the back door is open though.

Originally Posted by woody599

My mum was good friends with one of our neighbours. I'll get her to ring her tomorrow morning to look out for him.

I still can't imagine him going that far though. He's scared of everything, he would hide somewhere and not move at the smallest unfamiliar noise or person. If he went back to the old house though, he would be almost guaranteed hiding under our shed. Everytime he got scared he would go under there. If we don't find him tomorrow i might take a trip down there and take a look under the shed.

Can cats really navigate their way back home across vast unfamiliar terrain like that?

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Cats have amazing built in homing devices!

Anouther thing you could try is to go out with a torch around your house. You will maybe see the reflection of his eyes if he is just hiding nearby. I realise you dont want to look like a burglar but he must be very scared and it will be easier without lots of people about.

Originally Posted by Jaffacake

Cats have amazing built in homing devices!

Anouther thing you could try is to go out with a torch around your house. You will maybe see the reflection of his eyes if he is just hiding nearby. I realise you dont want to look like a burglar

but he must be very scared and it will be easier without lots of people about.

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I was thinking of that. I can't see to find a torch anywere though. I still don't know were half the stuff is in this house. I'll have a harder look soon and maybe have a quick look around outside at about 2AM. Hopefully nobody calls the police lol!

Well, it's the third day and still no closer to finding him. My yard seems to be attracting all the cats on the block barring mine...

I hopped over the yard opposite my house, it has lots of trees and bushes around it and i thought i saw him jump in that yard the other day. I couldn't see him anywhere.. gradually my list of things to do are getting shorter.

My last hope now is that he actually has travelled back to the old house successfully, because he would be sat under our shed. If he's not there... then all i can do is rely on luck.

aww just checking back on this so no sign of the fella yet so it seems he may have wandered back to your old place !

Keep us posted - we are all staying positive for you

Have you checked with the animal shelters in your area to see if he has been picked up?

I would definitely check round your old neighboorhood because he may have gone back there. Keep looking for him at night with a flashlight and post flyers in both neighboorhoods.

Good luck, I really hope you find him soon.

Aww. I was hoping he would have shown up. Been wondering all day.

I found this. It has a lot of good information about what you can be doing to find him. Don`t give up!

http://www.catchat.org/lost.html